Manuel Terrén Parcerisas

In September 2021, with the support of Civitas Maxima and Center for Accountability and Rule of Law, a Sierra Leonean citizen, victim of enslavement linked to the traffic of the so-called blood diamonds in the Sierra Leone district of Kono, filed a criminal complaint before Audiencia Nacional in Spain against the Spanish businessman Manuel Terrén Parcerisas. The Sierra Leonean individual is represented by lawyers Juan Garcés and Hernán Garcés.

Manuel Terrén Parcerisas is presumed to have been a shareholder of and worked for a company based in Europe that facilitated the illegal traffic of precious stones from Sierra Leone through its subsidiaries in West Africa. Between at least 1997 and 2002, Manuel Terrén Parcerisas is alleged to have traded with the RUF for diamonds obtained through the enslavement of civilians in Kono. The acquired gems were presumably brought to Monrovia, Liberia, and then sold on the international market.

On July 2, 2024, Manuel Terrén Parcerisas was arrested in Malaga, Spain, suspected of having participated in international crimes perpetrated by members of the RUF during the late years of the Sierra Leone civil war. He was subsequently granted release on July 24, 2024.

The investigation was suspended from January 7 to June 30, 2025, following arguments raised by the defence and Prosecutor that the alleged offences were time-barred from prosecution. Proceedings reopened after the Criminal Chamber of Audiencia Nacional concluded that further investigative measures would be required before a decision on the statute of limitations could be made.

In February 2026, the Criminal Chamber of Audiencia Nacional confirmed the expansion of the investigation to include money laundering offences and additional suspects. The investigation is ongoing, with various investigative measures currently underway.